[Ends and Means] How to Cultivate Playtests?

[Adam Cerling]

Malcolm,

Your list of guiding questions helps prompt similar questions out of my subconscious. So far I've got one promising lead on a remote playtest: I will have to write up a similar list to get them thinking. If I can get follow-through on others, I'll proceed with the mailing-list approach.

You say you learned "an awful lot about gaining feedback and refining a game." What lessons about gaining feedback stand out to you?

Lance,

I wish I had some sage advice for you, but I think I owe my offers to these two factors:

First, there isn't nearly as much variety in American LARPs as there is in tabletop RPGs. There's lots of room for a system to fill an empty niche, and I think there's a segment of LARPers who have been waiting for "indie-style" mechanics far too long. So I think it's easier to get an American LARPer's attention than a tabletop gamer's.

Second, I've got personal notoriety among the Mind's Eye Theater (MET, White Wolf) crowd. I published a freeware program called Grapevine that was used by thousands of players and GMs during MET's heyday. I benefit from that reputation when I market my system as "from the author of Grapevine."

If I didn't have those advantages, I imagine I'd rely on quid pro quo with other designers: you playtest my game, I'll playtest yours.

[IndigoDreamer]

"was" is a modest term.

Almost very White-Wolf LARP I know of still uses it; it's 'the standard'.

I've already said this, but I'll say it again too.   The reason that I think you lack the play-tests you want, is because you are marketing in a very 'under the radar' method.  It's true that you don't have your book ready for sale, etc.  But advertising your product when you need something isn't always a bad thing.

Playtesting Ends and Means really seems more like an afterthought when reading your webpage; maybe you should create an entire page dedicated to playtesting, how to do it, what you want from it, and why you want it, instead of just a brief paragraph.  (Although the new page is Much better than the older one, it still seems like it's something people 'can do' rather than you wanting them to do it)

Just my half-cent.

[Malcolm Craig]

Malcolm,

Your list of guiding questions helps prompt similar questions out of my subconscious. So far I've got one promising lead on a remote playtest: I will have to write up a similar list to get them thinking. If I can get follow-through on others, I'll proceed with the mailing-list approach.

You say you learned "an awful lot about gaining feedback and refining a game." What lessons about gaining feedback stand out to you?

For me the most important lesson was: ask specific questions if you want specific answers. As playtesting progressed, I found myself more at ease with asking probing questions and eliciting feedback. It also showed me that the initial vision for the game was not really what I was striving for. The playtest protest highlight so many things, which eventually came together in a "Right! This is what I really want out of this game!" kind of moment.

Cheers
Malcolm